This small fruit can make a huge difference to your brightening skincare routine. JACLYN GUNASILAN reports from Kyoto.
This small fruit can make a huge difference to your brightening skincare routine. JACLYN GUNASILAN reports from Kyoto.
“Look! There’s one across the street,” one of the journalists I’m travelling with says in a hushed tone. I turn and catch a glimpse of a geisha in an intricately embroidered silk kimono, her jet-black hair and red lipstick a stark contrast to her white-painted face.
Spotting a real-life geisha is just one of the many highlights of visiting Kyoto, Japan, where French brand Clarins is launching its new White Plus Tri-intensive Brightening Serum. Why Kyoto? This serum was formulated specifically for Asian women who want brighter, more luminous skin.
Contrary to popular belief, brightening skincare isn’t about getting a “white” complexion, much like a geisha’s. Instead, it’s about improving radiance, translucency and evenness of y skin tone – qualities the brand promises its new serum will deliver, thanks to its star ingredient, acerola cherry.
This vitamin C-rich fruit – the brand’s scientific communication director Marie-Helene Lair calls it the “king of active ingredients” – is said to have a ton of gentle brightening benefits. Extracts from both the fruit and seed are used; the fruit extract targets dark spots, while the seed extract acts on dullness.
Also in the formula: extracts from semi-ripe acerola. Collaborative research between the brand and Institut Curie, a leading cancer research centre in Europe, has led to the discovery that excessive sun exposure causes exosomes – small structures within cells that act like message-carrying envelopes – to carry messages that cause an increase in melanin production, which leads to dark spots and dullness. According to Clarins, the semi-ripe acerola extract is said to counterbalance this overproduction of melanin.
Another reason to be impressed by this serum: it’s perfect for layering over your other skincare. “In Europe, women use an average of three products in the day, and three to four at night,” says Marie-Helene. “Asian women like layering [more than four] skincare products at one go, so they need products with light, silky textures, like this one.”
Does White Plus Tri-intensive Brightening Serum live up to its promises? Most definitely. It glides on smoothly and sinks into skin within seconds, which makes it a breeze to add to my current five-step skincare routine. Plus, the light berry scent is so refreshing.
The cherry on top? I saw visible results after using it twice a day for two weeks – some stubborn dark spots appeared lighter and my complexion looked brighter.
